The Happiest Day Of Whose Life
by jcfl16
Summary: It's a happy day. Kind of. Okay not really. Alright it sucked. But it could get better. Right? Set after college when Casey and Derek are 27, Edwin and Lizzie are 23, Marti is 16 and Little Simon is 9.
1. Happiest Day Of Whoose Life?

**Title:** The Happiest Day Of Whose Life?

**Author:** jcfl16

**Summary:** It's a happy day. Kind of. Okay not really. Alright it sucked. But it could get better. Right? Set after college when Casey and Derek are 27, Edwin and Lizzie are 23, Marti is 16 and Little Simon is 9.

**Rating:** M for slight sexual reference

**Disclaimer:** I don't own LWD or the character's this is completely non-profit and for entertainment purposes only. Don't sue.

**Author's Note:** This just came to me so I hope it's good. I hope the flashbacks don't confuse anyone I put them in _italics_ in hopes of making it easier.

* * *

><p><strong>The Happiest Day Of Whose Life?<strong>

**Current Day:**

General POV:

Casey McDonald is standing in front of her hotel room, just staring at her door, just a plain wood door, which seemed to be mocking her. The hallway is very generic. Just like every other hotel, same goes for the walls, floor, heck, even the roof was generic. Kind of ironic when you consider who was staying here. When you consider that the MacDonald-Venturi clan has never been 'generic'.

The room Casey was trying to get into wasn't much better but after the day she had she didn't care. The only thing standing between her and the oblivion sleep would bring was this stupid wood door.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem but the key card would not corporate. Whose idea was it anyway to switch from real, reliable keys to this piece of good for nothing plastic? Key's if nothing else had character, and just because the key card was newer it didn't mean it was better. But I digress.

She would slide it into its slot and right back out and each time the red light would shine, showing that her access was denied. On any other day she just would have went down to the concierge and got a key that did work, but today she just didn't have the strength. She tried again. Red, dang.

"Just do your job you stupid key. All I need is for you to make the green light show once. That's all." She mumbled to herself as she tried it again.

Red light. Access denied.

She slammed her hands on the door and started to cry. Dang it. She promised herself she wouldn't cry this time. Of course she knew that was a lie but she expected to last a little longer than this. At least until the 'I Do's were exchanged. She hit the door several times more times before resting her forehead against it.

She just continued to sob while she stood there. She let her hands fall to her side but kept them clenched in a tight fist.

Her eyes were getting red and she knew soon her nose would run and eyes get puffy. Why couldn't it be like the movies, with clean little tears and your face stays pretty, and doesn't get puffy? She was trying to get the tears under control to avoid the 'post-tears face'. All she needed now was to look horrible.

"Casey?" Said the familiar voice of her step-brother, Derek.

She didn't want to see him. In fact of all the people in the entire world that could have found her right now she would have put Derek at the bottom of the list.

Her body got closer to the door in hopes that it would suck her up and she wouldn't have to see him.

"Casey." He said again as he took a step closer.

Abruptly Casey straightened and turned to walk away.

"Hey, Case what's wrong?"

Her back stiffened at the nickname. How long had it been since he said that? About 7 months? No, it was exactly 7 months ago. She would not answer to that nickname again, instead she continued to walk away.

He followed of course, he had never been good at taking hints, or rather he was too good at ignoring them. Same old Derek. Never quits till he gets what he wants. How is it possible that she ever liked that?

"Casey, I don't get it you should be happy." He said grabbing her elbow to make her stop.

She spun around without being prompted, her white and blue sun dress swishing at her knees. The look on her face was one of pure furry and even with her red swollen eyes you could tell she was about to explode. It was better than imploding she figured.

"Let go." She seethed. "I don't want to talk, especially not to you, not now nor ever. And I really don't want you to touch me."

He let go of her arm and rolled his eyes at her dramatics.

"So what's got your panties in a twist? This is a 'celebration', or at least that's what you said down stairs. 'It's a happy time of blah, blah, blah.' You went on forever I think I might have dosed off in the middle."

"Happy. Happy. Are you kidding me?" She spat the words at him with so much malice that they were nearly tangible. She ignored his jab at her (something that didn't happen often) and focused on the other thing he had said.

"Yeah it's your sister's wedding tomorrow. At today's rehearsal you kept spouting off things about unity, and happiness, and other sickeningly sweet words. Besides you're the maid of honor. So, yeah, happy is exactly the word that comes to mind?" he said. The wedding was in 2 days, not 1 like Derek seemed to think. Tomorrow there was another rehearsal. Her mom was over planning, Casey thought it was her mom's excuses to avoid her.

"I see no reason to be happy, Derek. Not when everything is so messed up. I mean do you really think this is a celebration?" She was all shaken up and didn't care who heard her. Initiate rant sequence. "Liz is down stairs putting the finishing touches on her wedding, and where am I? I'm here trying to get into a hotel room to avoid my mom. But it's not like it matters if I avoid her, because she's already avoiding me. What kind of mom doesn't want her daughter around? I mean seriously it's like the freaking twilight zone here. This is a wedding that Lizzie had to force our mom to come to because she refused to be in the same room as me. This is a wedding where being the maid of honor for Lizzie is a way of trying to smooth everything out between us. Lizzie is getting married Derek, married, and I feel like I'm an outcast in my own family. Mom still thinks that I've been corrupted. George is on her side because he's George and incapable of saying something that would upset her. Simon, Marti, Edwin and Lizzie aren't allowed to have their own opinions, because mom knows they'd be on my side. And, and my soon to be ex-husband is here with some blonde bimb-ette, just showcasing it around like it's no big thing. Oh yeah there is loads to be happy about." She said the last part sarcastically then paused and looked into his eyes.

He didn't say anything. Casey got even angrier.

"It's like you don't even care. What's wrong with you, you heartless jerk. How can you just stand there and pretend like you don't care." She let out exasperated

"If I cared about every freak out you had I would physically change into a chick." He said in a snarky voice.

"You cretin! You can't even pretend to have feelings can you?"

"Nope." He said smirking.

"It's like what happened between us meant nothing to you." Her arms waved wildly as she said this.

"There is no us." He said sternly and with a seriousness that hadn't been there before.

"Because of them, Derek." She made a gesture at an invisible force "We broke up because of them. But there was an 'us', at one point there was an 'us'."

"But there's not anymore. So, just shut up about it."

"Doesn't it affect you at all?" She questioned despondently. "Wait, don't answer, I know already. You never cared right? 'Cause you don't do feelings.'"

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback 7 months ago when it all went bad:<strong>

_"Derek?" Casey said as she walked into their apartment. "Derek, are you here?"_

_His leather jacket was on the hook and keys on the table by the door. She didn't see him yet but he had to be home._

_Her hands were full of groceries so she went to the kitchen to deposit them. The apartment was pretty much clean (no thanks to Derek) so it was easy to get through. The whole place, except for the bed rooms, had wood floors; it was her favorite type of flooring, so was to clean._

_She walked through the kitchen archway and dumped the bags on their table. He wasn't in the kitchen she determined after dumping the bags on the table and went in search of him. The living room was clear she already knew that, so she walked towards the hallway opening._

"_Derek." She said again as she opened the bathroom. "Nope." She continued to the next room. "Derek." She walked down the hallway and opened their office. Only one room left, their bed room._

_She heard a noise as she got closer. She assumed he was up to his latest prank so she proceeded with caution. She didn't mind, arguing with Derek. It was half the fun and the make-up afterwards was always worth it._

_Casey put her hand out and twisted the door knob, trying to prepare herself for whatever was on the other side. _

_And she thought she was prepared for anything… except what she saw._

_Giggling "Oh, Derek. You say the nicest things." More giggling._

_There lying on her and Derek's bed was a very busty half dressed red head with Derek, and he was peppering kisses all over her. The girl was wearing only a bra and very short jean skirt, he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans but they appeared very disheveled. _

_All Casey could do for several seconds was watch._

"_What's going on here?" Casey said her voice coming out even but strained._

_Derek looked up from his actions as if noticing her for the first time "Do you mind I'm kind of busy right now?" he looked annoyed that Casey had interrupted._

_This made Casey very angry._

"_Do I mind?" She wasn't sure when she told her feet to move she was only aware of being at the doorway then being at the bed. The bed with the sheets she picked out!_

"_Yeah that's what I said." He declared giving no reaction or acknowledgement to her mood._

"_Derek, what are you doing with her? In our bed! In our room! In our apartment!" Casey yelled holding back the hot tears that came to her eyes. "After everything, why?"_

"_Get over it Space Case it's not like we were serious or anything. We were together, now I'm bored. So we're not together anymore."_

"_You barbarian." She cried out not even caring that he was still hovering over a red headed bimbo. "That's our bed."_

"_Yeah, whatever." He said turning his attention to the girl underneath him "Get over it." He said to Casey. Then to the red head "Don't mind her, okay?"_

"_Yes mind me." Casey huffed pushing Derek off of the girl and dragging her out of the bed by her hair. "That's my boyfriend." Casey said pointing at Derek "What do you think you're doing?"_

"_I'm… um…" the red head was not looking for this much drama, just wanted to get laid._

_Derek was over to Casey and the 'other girl' in a heartbeat. He ripped Casey away from 'her' by the arm, and with Casey's wrist still firmly in his hand he started yelling,_

"_You have no rights over me princess." He spat out the nickname like it burned him. "I am not your boyfriend anymore. I don't care about you, in fact I never cared about you, and I most certainly never loved you. It's not my fault you forgot that I don't do feelings." She gasped at the sting his words carried. _

"_Got it." He said as he threw her wrist away from him like it was trash._

_The red head murmured something about to much drama as she grabbed her shirt and shoes from the floor and ran out the room._

"_You degenerate." Casey said with teary eyes. "You low life." She slapped him one good time "You were to scared to just break up with me so you cheated to make it easier on yourself." She hit him again "You coward."_

_Derek glared at Casey then said coldly "You better hope I can get another date with her." He bent down grabbed his stuff and left the room and Casey._

_Once he slammed the door Casey crumpled to the floor and started crying. She didn't see Derek again for nearly 4 months which is when she started helping Lizzie plan her wedding._

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><p><strong>Back to Present:<strong>

"No you didn't care about me, you didn't love me. And you were a coward to boot. Tell me Der did that red head ever go out with you again?" She spat with malice.

"Of course she did. I'm 'The Derek Venturi', how could she say no?"

"Oh please. You are so full of yourself."

"And you fell for me anyway. Tell me how does it feel to fall for someone who could careless for you? Because I'll never know how that feels."

"I know you loved me at one point." She said with watery eyes. "I know it. That's why it pisses me off that you cheated on me."

"No, I didn't love you. I can't believe your still on that." A look of hurt crossed her face but it disappeared just as fast as it had appeared.

"You are such a jerk. I loved you and you… you didn't even care." She shook her head. "You couldn't even decide to cheat and dump me before we told our parents. If you were goanna prove them right anyway you could have at least done it before they found out."

It wasn't necessary before they found out. Before it was perfect. He didn't say that out loud. He did however say,

"It wasn't my idea to tell them."

"What?"

"You wanted to tell them." He said allowing his tone to take on a sharp teasing. With an evil smirk he added "I didn't want to say anything and didn't care if they ever found out. But no you, you had to let them in on it."

"That is not the point." She said.

"Oh but it is. See you had to tell them. It was eating you up inside. The fact that it was tearing you up and that made it more fun for me. Heck, we might still be together if you didn't have to do the right thing all the time. Don't you know that's what I'm all about. The chase, the mystery, the lies, that's all there is. Don't you know I like that. I liked that it was wrong? This is your fault. If you wanted it to go on you should have played my game."

"You blame me for why we broke up? That's rich."

"Did you or didn't you want to tell them?"

"I did, but…"

"You did." He interrupted. "So I repeat this is your fault."

"Well you wanted to tell them too."

"Um… No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"Think again Case. It was all you."

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback 1 year ago before 'they' found out:<strong>

_"Derek?" Casey asked uncertainly._

_"Humph?" Derek replied._

_It was dark in the room of their shared apartment, and there nestled in the midst of their blankets on their bed was Casey and Derek. Casey was propped up on her elbows looking at Derek and Derek was asleep with his back to her and hugging a pillow, he looked quite angelic._

_"Derek." She said again._

_"What?" he moaned in distaste glancing at the clock. "Its 2:30 in the morning go to sleep."_

_"I can't sleep. We need to talk."_

_He quickly flipped over and said slightly worried, though he'd never admit it "Are you breaking up with me?"_

_"No." She said so fast and so loud that she sounded like a crazy person._

"_Then," he said with a slight smile "it can wait till morning." He leaned up kissed her forehead and turned, readying himself to go back to sleep._

_"No," she said grabbing his arm and making him flip back over "it can't wait till morning."_

_He sighed and looked at her._

_"Are you in any physical pain?" she shook her head 'no' "Are you going to die?" another no "Is you're mental state going to deteriorate any more than it already has?"_

_"Hey!" she said slightly offended, he waited patiently "No." she said with a frown._

_"Okay. Then it can wait till morning."_

_He tried to flip over again but she grabbed his arm. He let out a sigh. _

_She sat up turned on the lamp then turned to face him fully._

_He groaned as the sudden light hit him, and then proceeded to glare at her._

"_We need to tell them." When her words were met with a blank stare she continued "The family. We need to tell them. You know, about us, being married."_

"_Really? That's why you woke me up? That's what couldn't wait till morning?" His glare intensified. "Sometimes you make me question why I love you."_

"_This is serious." She said to him in a tone that matched her face and her words, ignoring the pleasant tingle she got when he said he loved her._

"_I didn't say it wasn't princess, I just said it could wait till morning."_

"_It can't we have to tell them now."_

"_Right now?" he said sitting up._

"_Yes."_

"_At this very moment in time?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Umm, let me think about that…No."_

"_Yes."_

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_No." he seen she was about to continue and lifted a finger to her lips to stop her from talking. "Are you listening to yourself?" he asked looking her straight in the eye. "Because you are suggesting that we call our parents at 2:30 in the morning. You are suggesting that we tell them that we are married and have been since the family vacation to 'Vegas' 3 months ago. Do you also want to include how we have secretly been dating since senior year of college, and how we were completely wasted when we exchanged vows in a hotel chapel? Is that what you want?"_

_He paused and she didn't attempt to say anything so he continued,_

"'_Cause then I have a question for you, and then what do you want to do? Sit around on the phone and wait for the yelling to stop, while our minutes go up? Or are you suggesting that we get up, get dressed, and leave our apartment with little to no sleep. Drive all the way home wake them up, at an earlier hour than they ever wanted to get up at, and tell them there, and then just let the storm unfold there? With groggy minds, no coffee, and pajamas? It's sure to be a massacre of grand proportions." He removed his hand from her mouth._

"_I didn't think about that." She said sheepishly as she glanced down at the white sheets._

"_Obviously." He rolled his eyes and chuckled._

"_But we have to tell them." She said looking up at him with determination._

"_Okay." Derek says soberly "We will. Okay."_

"_Thank you." She looked very relived after he spoke those words, almost as if a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders._

"_No prob. Now go to sleep and stop worrying. 'Cause if you get bags under your eyes and grey hair you won't have to tell them, because I'll dump you." He said with a smirk._

"_DE-REK!" she yelled and swatted him with a pillow._

* * *

><p><strong>Back to Present:<strong>

"Well it might have been my idea but I still say if you were really going to 'dump' me that you should have done it before I ruined my life and the relationship I have with my mother."

"Ruined your life?" Insert cruel smirk. "I might have ruined your life but you ruined my reputation. It took forever to get girls to realize I wasn't some sick-o who got off on doin' his sister. Do you know that the cool meter for that places you only a few levels above pedophiles and right under the band geeks and pocket protector crowd." (a/n: No offence, I don't actually rank those two anywhere near each other.)

"Go to Hell." Casey spat at him.

"News flash already there." He replied glaring at her.

"I hate you." She declared more than a little breathlessly.

"Right back at you princess." He was angry and flustered, if she didn't leave right now he would definitely do something he would regret, and he's not entirely sure it would be pleasant, well at least not for her.

She turned and walked back to her hotel room door and tried to go in. Then remembered the stupid key card wasn't working.

"Ugh." She groaned and turned back to the elevator.

Derek was standing there looking at her. No, not looking, glowering. She stomps up to him purposely shoves him with her elbow and attempts to walk past him.

She does not succeed. He grabs her elbow, the same one that hit him, and pushes her against the closest wall. His hands land on the wall on either side of her head.

All the wind rushes from her body and she suddenly realizes that he is way to close. So close in fact, that she can feel his breath against her lips. She looks into his eyes and sees anger, hatred, frustration, and passion. She not sure if he's going to hit her or… no he won't do that.

It's not the first time she has seen this look, heck she used to get this look herself. But it hadn't happened in forever, and only ever happened with Derek.

"Don't do that." Derek says through gritted teeth.

"I didn't do anything." Casey denies with a hiss.

Derek leans forward. Now his lips are only a breath away from hers.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't do that again."

"I. Didn't. Do. Anything." She says again, this time putting emphasis on each word.

Derek knows he should back up. Being this close to Casey is never good, but she dang well had better recognize that she did something, and agree not to do it again. So against his better judgment he leans forward a fraction of an inch more. And hisses,

"You shoved me, and you will not do it again." His lips brush hers ever so slightly on the last word.

Casey's mind blanks for less than a millisecond at the feel of his lips. Then she raises her hands to his chest to push him away.

"Get off of me." She seethes and pushes at his chest. Unfortunately pushing him again just makes him push closer to her. She's not sure whether this is out of spite or if he's just trying to get a rise out of her but she wants him away from her before she does something stupid.

"Admit what you did, and say you won't do it again and I'll leave."

Casey pushes again but he doesn't budge.

"Say it." He says his lips hovering just centimeters from hers.

She glares but does not speak.

They are staring into each other's eyes, and breathing heavier than they should be.

One thing that always could be said about the two was they were stubborn; another thing was that they had heat. Passion is coming off of them in waves, and neither of them knows what to do with it. Sure a year ago or even 7½ months ago they could think of plenty of things to do with it, but now it's kind of just there strangling them, chocking them, driving them slowly insane.

"I hate you." Casey says struggling against his chest.

"Yeah, I've heard."

"Then let go of me."

"Not till you say it."

"Never."

"Then I hope you like this position, 'cause we're going to be here a while."

Casey huffs and starts hitting his chest. She wants to cry, she wants to be alone, and she wants to be away from him. Well that last ones not entirely true, she wants to be with him but since she can't she needs to be away from him. It just hurts too much to be near him, and not be with him. She will not cry in front of him she quickly promises herself as she continues hitting him, which has gotten harder seeing as he has used his body to squish her hands between them.

The only thought in Casey's head is that she has to get Derek away from her. Like right now.

"Okay fine. I pushed you. Now get off of me." She feels a headache coming on and chances are it's from the tears she holding back.

"Aaannnddd…" Derek urges.

"Get off me please." She's in a sarcastically cheery voice.

"Tell me you won't do it again or I'm not moving." He says with same tone.

"UGH!" And that's it for her. What happens next is obviously not logical but she can't help it.

"You are such a pig. A male chauvinistic pig, full of double standards and lies. If I told you exactly what you wanted to hear you'd just find another reason to not move…"

"And you're a spoiled princess who can't take responsibility for her actions, and can't come up with a new insult to save her life. What else you got." He cut in.

"If I'm a spoiled princess, you're the court jester. It's like you don't realize that you can't be taken seriously. You are a JOKE!"

"Take it back." he said scathingly.

"Why? Can't you handle the truth? That you're a good for nothing waste. A joke to this family and the rest of the world."

He moves his hands to her upper arm and shakes her hard. Not enough to really hurt her because he would never do that, but enough that he hopes it'll shut her up.

"Are you trying to scare me. 'Cause I can tell you right now it's not working. You know why?" she takes a breath then whispers "Because you're a joke a j-o-k…"

His lips on hers shock both of them. But it has opened a can of worms, one that will be hard to close.

His mouth his hard against hers and she can't help but push back just as hard. When his tongue comes out seeking entrance to her mouth she lets him in.

A battle ensues between their tongues and if there was any intention of stopping it hasn't occurred to them.

His hands slide against her dress as they caress her sides and downwards. One hand lands on the small of her back to pull her closer while the other continues to roughly trace her sides.

She has one hand in his hair and is pulling it roughly while the other arm wraps around his neck to prevent him from escaping.

It isn't until they hear the shocked and outraged gasp of an older woman that they realize they are still in the hallway. They break away from each other quickly, and the older woman hastily rushes past them to the elevator, constantly looking over her shoulder in disapproval.

This Derek thing she can't handle right now, and by the look on his face he doesn't seem to understand what's happening either. So, looking properly abashed Casey decides to follow the lady into the elevator and get her key fixed. The old lady looks at her with disgust and disdain as the elevator travels down to the main lobby. And Casey is left to wonder what the heck happened.

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><p>Author's Note: Okay that's it. Please read and Review. Tell me if you think I should add one more chapter.<p> 


	2. Happiest Day Of Someone's Life

**Title:** The Happiest Day Of Someone's Life

**Author:** jcfl16

**Summary:** It's a happy day. Kind of. Okay not really. Alright it sucked. But it could get better. Right? Set after college when Casey and Derek are 27, Edwin and Lizzie are 23, Marti is 16 and Little Simon is 9. Sequel to 'The Happiest Day Of Whose Life?' won't make sense if you don't read the first.

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** I don't own LWD or the character's this is completely non-profit and for entertainment purposes only. Don't sue.

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took a while, I hadn't even started it (because I didn't think anyone would want to read more) when I got the first review asking me to continue. But now it's going to be a three part-er. So here is part two, please read and review.

* * *

><p><strong>The Happiest Day Of Someone's Life<strong>

**Next Day (Before the Wedding):**

Casey's POV:

I've managed to steer clear of both my mother and Derek since yesterday, but pretty soon I'm going to have to walk into a room with both of them, and about 35 other assorted guests.

Lizzie's fiancé Mike seems like a good guy, but his family… Let's just say I can definitely tell which ones have heard about Derek and me.

This is insane! I can't even go to my own sister's wedding without having to face my past, a past that has caused me nothing but trouble. I'm not sure why I ever thought dating then marrying Derek was a good idea.

Why am I even so scared to face them? It's my life I can do what I please with it. Yeah. Okay, time to go in there and show them whose boss.

Mantra: I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

Why is it that now, that I'm walking in, I've realized that I can't do this.

General POV:

Casey's confident smile turns quickly into an uncomfortable grimace as she walks to find her seat. All the people seem to be staring at her. Or maybe that's just the paranoia settling in.

She makes her way to her sister slowing relaxing her face into what she hopes is a casual smile. A quick hug and then Lizzie is introducing her to everyone in Mike's family. Casey reminds Lizzie that she should be getting ready, and that it's bad luck to see the groom before the wedding, but she doesn't seem to care.

Casey starts to relax more fully when she sees that neither Derek nor her mother is present, though she wonders where the former is, and doubts that she'll like the answer. But that isn't her problem. She needs to focus on making her baby sister's big day amazing.

Just as she settles in to the 'maid of honor' role she feels a tap on her shoulder.

"Please don't be Derek, please don't be Derek." She mumbles to herself as she turns around.

It's not Derek.

It's her mother.

Let the fun begin (A.N.: Casey would like you to note the sarcasm in that sentence).

"Hi Casey." Nora says.

"Hi mom." Casey replies, her voice unintentionally getting a little colder.

"Could you help your other siblings with the chairs?"The problem with not hiring a wedding planner was having to do all the work yourself.

"Yeah. Sure." Casey said.

"Okay then. They're in the room over there." And with a point of her finger Nora leaves the conversation.

For a full minute Casey just stares at her mother's retreating form. The first civil words that Nora's said to her in months, and not one of them was 'sorry'.

Are. You. Kidding. Me.

Yeah, sure, Casey lied to Nora about Derek and her, but Nora called her a disappointment and said that Derek and her were an abomination. That was not okay.

* * *

><p><strong>8 months ago, the reveal:<strong>

_"Mom, please calm down. It's not that bad." Casey said trying to sooth her mother._

_"Not that bad?" Nora exclaimed "You must be joking. This is the worst possible news you could give us."_

_"Now Nora…" George tried to help, but was cut off._

_"No. Don't 'Now Nora' me." She says turning to look at him. "This is awful. The only way it could be worse is if they told us Casey was pregnant." Nora stopped and wheeled her head around to Casey "You're not pregnant are you?"_

_"No mom. I'm not." Casey says trying to help stop the drama in any way she could._

_"Look Nora," Derek cut in "Me and Casey love each other," Nora scoffed, but Derek continued "we love each other and all we want is your support."_

_"Yes. That's it."Casey jumped in. "Look mom I'm sorry we waited so long to tell you but we were worried about how you'd react, and at the beginning we didn't want to say anything till we were serious…"_

_"I'd say being married definitely makes it serious." George said._

_"We didn't mean for that to happen dad." Derek remarked "But when it did it felt right."_

_"Yes. And now we want to have an actual ceremony, with all of our family and friends and…"Casey._

_"No!" Nora yelled, and everyone looked at her startled. "No."_

_"No, what mom?" Casey questioned tentatively._

_"No, I will not allow you to showcase this… this… abomination in front of our family and friends."_

_"Abomination?" Casey whispered._

_"I don't know when exactly you decided to become such a corrupt and twisted person Casey, but I for one will not have you proudly displaying the fact to everyone I know."_

_"I'm not corrupt, I'm in love." Casey said starting to tear up._

_"Don't you think you're being a little harsh Nora?" Derek questioned, trying to help Casey. He couldn't stand it when she cried, and not because he 'Didn't do tears' but because he loved her. "It's not like we're actually related or something."_

_"You're brother and sister. And don't even try to pretend like the word 'step' makes that much of a difference because it doesn't. Did you forget about Simon so quickly? He has both of yours DNA. I'm so disappointed in you Casey and you to Derek."_

_"What else is new." He mumbled._

_"The only way I could even begin to forgive you is if you ended this charade. And if you could do it quickly and quietly before any of your brothers or sisters found out..."_

_"No." Casey said sternly (now holding back her tears)._

_"Excuse me?" Nora said affronted._

_"I said no. As in n-o, no."_

_"No what?" Nora said for clarification._

_"No I won't 'break up' with Derek just to appease you, first because I love him and second because it would mean getting divorced."_

_"Oh yes you will break up." Nora stands as she says this completely ignoring the fact that it would be divorce (because they are married)._

_"No I won't." Casey says, standing herself. "This isn't some school project you want me to do better on, this is my LIFE. And I love Derek. If you want to be disappointed in me fine, but I've done nothing wrong."_

_"Other than the fact that you slept with your BROTHER! You're ruining your reputation. I mean what are you going to do with your life now? No one will accept you, they'll think you're a freak. Oh, and the people, what about them? What will people say, and what will they think? You slept with your brother."_

_"First it's STEPbrother, and second so what? I'm married to him. That's what married people do, they have S-E-X." she stressed every syllable of that last word._

_"You shouldn't have married him."_

_"Hey! Hold on minute Nora. That's my son." George interjects._

_"Yes and he shouldn't have married my daughter. Don't you see George they've both thrown their lives away. Nobody else will want them if they find out they slept with their sibling."_

"_Everything else in my life is perfect, according to you, everything else you're proud of. Well guess what I'm proud of my relationship and I don't care what people think."_

"_Well you should."_

"_But I don't. And if YOU want to be in MY life YOU will accept Derek and I, and you won't worry about other people."_

_"Then I guess I don't want to be in your life." Nora said eyes full of tears. "You should leave now."_

_That was the last time she set foot in the MacDonald-Venturi house until her sister's wedding plans started. And of the few words that have passed between Nora and Casey since then none have been friendly._

* * *

><p><strong>Back to Present:<strong>

With a huff Casey walks to the room her mother had indicated. This should be fun. Helping the family set up for Lizzie's wedding. Potentially running into Derek after last night's debacle, or worse seeing him with some two bit trollop.

"Casey!"Screams Simon as he runs to hide behind her legs.

"Hey, Simon." It's been a while since Casey's seen her baby brother. "How ar…" She starts.

"Oh no you don't you little twerp!" Screams Marti. "You can't hide behind Casey." She says with a glare at her younger brother.

"What's going on?" Casey asks looking between 16 year old sister Marti and 9 year old brother Simon.

"…" "…" They both rambled quickly at the same time.

"What?" Casey interjected with a look of utter confusion.

Just when they were about to start up again Edwin looked up from the chairs he was taking down and said,

"Simon messed up Marti's make up and put peanut butter on her face because she told him Santa was an alien." Edwin said this calmly like it was something that happened every day (and most likely it was, these are the MacDonald-Venturi's we're talking about).

"Thanks Ed." Casey said turning back to the siblings who started running in a circle around her trying to catch/runaway from each other.

"No prob." Edwin chuckled and continued his task.

Casey try's to catch them as they go around her legs, but only manages to get very dizzy.

"Have they been like this all morning?" Casey asks Ed.

"Yep."

"You'd think they'd be tired."

"Nope."

"Thank you monosyllabic man. I don't know how I could have ever lasted without those spectacular responses." Casey says rolling her eyes.

"I know." Says Edwin with a huge grin.

That's one thing she missed from not being home: her energetic, crazy, loving siblings. Edwin, Lizzie and Marti didn't care that Derek and her had been together (and still wouldn't) as long as they didn't kiss in front of them, and Simon wasn't old enough to care about those sorts of things.

In fact when they had found out (much to Nora's horror) they hadn't been surprised. Marti claimed to have always known and Edwin and Lizzie said that according to their data (that they used to collect) this was a logical outcome.

Casey had been so worried after telling her parents but in the end it hadn't mattered. As Casey reached out to grab her siblings she couldn't help but smile. She loved this crazy, hectic family.

Derek's POV:

I was at the other end of the room taking chairs down, and decide not to interfere. I had no clue what to say to Casey after yesterday, and she looked happy over there with Marti, Edwin, and Simon.

I knew how much she loved them, how much she'd give for them, any of them, and two of them weren't even her flesh and blood, three if you count dad.

It was easy to see how she fit in this family, into my family. Listen to this, Derek Venturi being a sap. This shouldn't happen. It's all Casey's fault.

How did she manage to do this to me every time? It was like when we were back in college. Like when all of this first started to happen.

* * *

><p><strong>College "Senior Year" when 'it' all started:<strong>

_Announcer 1: "30 seconds left on the clock. Smith's coming down the ice, he hands the puck off to Venturi."_

_Announcer 2: "Looks like Venturi's going to make the shot. Question is: can he make it?"_

_Announcer 1: "Yes! He made it! Score!"_

_Announcer 2: "Queen's wins 'The Championship Game!'"_

_Derek is hoisted in to the air by his teammates and everyone's cheering. If he was dreaming he would have woken up by this point, but he's not dreaming. This is actually happening. He just won the championship game in his senior year. He feels like he's gonna throw up, but all everyone can see is his cool eyes and arrogant smirk._

_As his teammates set him down, he scan's the crowd._

_There she is. Just like every week these last three years. Watching his game and smiling the biggest smile he's ever seen. Casey._

_If someone would have told him 2 years ago that he and Casey would be 'friends' he would have laughed his head off._

_Well maybe 'friends' isn't the right term. But it defiantly wasn't a brother/sister thing. They still fought and everything —in fact they fought more now than they ever had back at home—but they also understood each other better and actually wanted to be around each other. Strange how that happens._

_When they started college Derek was dating Casey's best friend, Emily (who was also her roommate), they ended up spending a lot more time together than is actually healthy, and considering who they are this drove them insane. Their relationship, however, didn't start to change until after Emily and him broke up._

_All he knows is one minute he's dating Emily, next minute she's with Sam. Don't get him wrong, there are no hard feelings between Em and him, but it still wasn't easy to lose his girlfriend to his best friend, and Casey got that._

_So she started going to his games. The whole first season she complained and annoyed everyone around her with her questions about who was winning. The next season she still complained but didn't really have to ask questions anymore. And this season she still complained, but mostly just to annoy Derek, and not because she didn't want to go._

_So when he wins the championship of course Casey is the first person he looks for. And when he leaves the locker room she's the first person he sees. Casey clobbers him with a big hug and Derek (of course being Derek) tells her to get off she's spoiling his rep, but that was all for show, what a sap he was to like hugs from his stepsister. Darn Casey!_

"_Oh, whatever Venturi! You know you love me." Casey said as she playfully punched his shoulder._

_Derek made a face then said, "Why are you waiting out here anyway? I told you I was celebrating with my team tonight."_

"_Yeah, well, I… may have… I mean…umm…"_

"_What did you do?" Derek asked preparing to give Casey the stink eye._

"_I accidently invited everyone over to our apartment." She said under breath._

"_You what?"_

"_I Accidently Invited them over." She said more forcefully._

"_Whose them, Casey?" Because he knew she couldn't be speaking of his team if she was mumbling like this._

"_The family." Casey said try to smile, but it came out weak and wobbly._

"_UGH! You didn't." Derek groaned._

_Casey just nodded, confirming that she did._

_Now don't get them wrong, they love their family. But that's the problem. It's THEIR family. They might not be sure what's going on with the two of them but it makes them awkward around their parents._

_Derek reluctantly gets into the car and complains the whole way back to the apartment—the car's to hot, Casey's driving is awful, he wants to be with his team, why's he got to go to the apartment now, it's all Casey's fault—and other such nonsense. This annoys Casey, so they end up arguing by the time they reach the front door, where their family happens to be waiting with pizza, root beer, and a pretty big present._

"_Of course they are." Everyone groans as the two round the corner._

_And the night continues as such: Derek and Casey barely say two words to each other and when they do they begin to argue. The family rolls their eyes and laughs at the two of them. And everyone feels like they're back at home. Well, almost everyone._

_When everyone leaves they start yelling again. And somewhere between "it's your fault" and "I hate you" the argument get's more intense._

"_They're family Derek! I couldn't just tell them no." Casey yelled._

"_Yes you could have! I do it all the time!" Derek screamed back._

"_Well maybe I'm not like you!"_

"_No you're not, 'cause if you were we wouldn't have this problem!"_

"_UGH! YOU…YOU…YOU SELF SERVING JERK!" she exclaimed as she hit him._

"_WELL AT LEAST I'M NOT THE FAMILY'S LAP DOG!" he roared as he tried to block her punches._

"_YOU'RE INSUFFERABLE!" _

"_YOU'RE IMPOSSIBLE!"_

"_JERK!"_

"_PRINCESS!"_

"_I HATE YOU!"_

"_NOT AS MUCH AS I HATE YOU!"_

_Their lips smashed together, her hands slid behind his neck, his hands slid to her lower back and they moved so close together that not even air could fit between them._

_Neither of them was thinking. Because if they would have been thinking then this wouldn't of happened._

_Later they'd think. Then they'd try to deny anything happened, they'd try to avoid it, and they'd try to pretend like it didn't mean anything. But in one month's time they wouldn't able to deny it, avoid it, or pretend like it didn't mean anything, because it did._

* * *

><p><strong>Back to Present:<strong>

General POV:

Setting up the chair's took longer than expected, what with Marti and Simon still messing around, but it eventually got done. And, much to Casey and Derek's relief, without much interaction between the two of them.

Soon after they were finished with the chairs they were dragged away. It was time for the bride and groom to start getting ready. Casey went to her sister's aid and Derek (along with Edwin) went to help guests find their seats.

Derek's at the Opening of the Church:

"So you gonna tell me what happened between you and Casey, or am I going to have to guess?" Ed asked smirking at his brother while they waited for a elderly woman to get out of her car and up to the church steps.

Derek looked at Ed and glared. "Nothing happened." He said.

"Oh, bologna!"

"Drop it Ed." Derek grumbled.

"No. I won't drop it. Tell me is it juicy? Did you fight? Or was it dirty?" Ed said wiggling his eyebrows.

"Nothing happened Ed, and even if it did I wouldn't tell my kid brother."

"I'm not a kid anymore, bro. You have to stop treating me like one. And you have to tell me what's going on with you and Casey."

"Nothing's going on."

Edwin just looked at him.

Thankfully the old lady got there at that exact moment and Derek was able to escort her to her seat. He'd never been so happy to be helping an old person. And when he got back Edwin was leaving to seat someone.

When Edwin got back though Derek realized the conversation wasn't over. He did not want to talk about kissing his soon to be ex-wife Casey or the consequences that could result from it. He hoped a lot of people chose this exact moment to show up, otherwise this was going to be a very long day.

Casey's in Bride's Room:

"Case can you zip me up please?" asked Lizzie.

"Sure." Casey says putting down the bouquet that she just tied a ribbon around.

Casey looked at her sister's reflection in the mirror and smiled at how beautiful Liz looked. Lizzie smiled back and said:

"Thanks."

"No problem." Short pause. "You look beautiful Liz. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks."Liz said as her smile got impossibly bigger.

"When I get married no mother-in-laws are invited." Marti complained as she walked in.

"Is Tanya bothering you Marti?" Liz asked turning to look at Marti, who looked a little flustered.

"Only, of course." Marti replied. "I swear if I have to answer one more question about gardenias I'm gonna…"

"Well," Casey interrupted "try to be nice to her it's Lizzie's only mother-in-law."

"So far." Marti added, and was promptly smacked by Lizzie.

"Don't mess with Marti." Liz remarked playfully.

Nora chose this moment to walk in.

"Oh, my baby. Look at you. You look gorgeous." Nora said coming over to look at Lizzie.

"Thanks mom."

"I'm so proud of you, if…"

Nora kept talking but Casey drowned her out. If she was going to keep from crying—well, keep from crying sad tears anyway—then she couldn't listen to her mother. She couldn't hear how Nora loved Mike so much and how wonderful a daughter Lizzie was for choosing him and so on and so on. She was happy for Lizzie but, it really sucked what her mom was doing.

Casey watched her sisters and mother talk. She watched them put the garter on Lizzie and joke about it coming off. She watched them fix their hair and make-up. She watched everything and said nothing.

Lizzie would look at her every once and a while and Casey would give her a reassuring smile. This was Lizzie's day so Casey could put on a happy face and bear whatever her mother said. She could watch her mother do all these things for Lizzie that she would never do for her. She could handle it, because she wasn't wrong. Sure Derek had turned out to be a bad choice but she was honestly in love with him when they got married. Plus she loved her family, maybe she wasn't happily married but she was in a loving family (her brother's and sister's anyway and George). So Casey could deal.

"It's time." George said as he poked his head in. Yeah Casey could deal, and she would.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed that. I have one more chapter to put up then that's it. So here's the <strong>BIG QUESTION:<strong> Should this have a Dasey friendly or Dasey un-friendly ending? I'll let my reviewer's decide. I'll tally all the vote's a week after I post this and see what ending won. Thanks again for reading.


	3. Happiest Day Of Her Life

**Title:** The Happiest Day Of Her Life

**Author:** jcfl16

**Summary:** It's a happy day. Kind of. Okay not really. Alright it sucked. But it could get better. Right? Last part of the "The Happiest Day Of Whose Life?" trilogy. Should read other two first to make more sense.

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** I don't own LWD or the character's this is completely non-profit and for entertainment purposes only. Don't sue.

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone here is your winning ending. 'The Happiest Day Of **Her**Life', now you'll find out if Casey is the 'her' or if it is Lizzie or if it is someone else entirely? Guess you'll just have to read to know. Sorry it took awhile I got kind of busy with classes. Hope you like it. Please read and review .

**AUTHOR'S NOTE 2:****Revised ending. Apologies to whoever read this. I didn't realize that I left out a whole section of writting. Thank you for calling it to my attention. The scene was in my head but it was five in the morning when I finished this so I didn't realize it didn't make it onto the paper.**

* * *

><p><strong>The Happiest Day Of Her Life<strong>

**15 months ago a.k.a. Derek and Casey's Wedding Day:**

_"I can't believe you tricked me into going on vacation with the family." Derek groaned sitting on the hotel bed that him and Ed had shared the night before._

_"I didn't trick you. I asked you. And you agreed because we both agreed this would be the perfect time to tell them about us." Casey said as she slipped her blue sarong on over her bathing suit._

_"I still say we should have told them before we left. So we could have gotten a room to ourselves."_

_"Yeah, because they would have been totally cool with that." Casey's voice was laced with sarcasm._

_"Well it's better than having to sleep with Edwin's smelly feet in my face." Derek grimaced._

_"Will you stop complaining." She said as she grabbed her beach tote and headed for the door. "Are you coming?"_

_"No but I could be." Derek smirked and Casey rolled her eyes, she was not amused._

_There was a pause. Casey stood at the door very annoyed, and Derek just looked at her trying to gauge how angry she really was._

"_You know you're supposed to relax on a vacation." Derek said standing. "It was just a joke."_

_"I know." Casey sighed._

_"Then what is it Space Case?"_

_"I'm nervous." Casey bit her lip. "What if they don't approve, Der. What if they disown us? Or are disappointed? Or angry? Or something?"_

_"Then we'll deal." Derek said as his hands started to rub her arms._

_"But..."_

_"No 'buts' Case. We can do this."He pulls her closer and hugs her._

_"When did you get all sappy?" She asks as she sinks into his hug._

_"I'm not sappy, and if you tell anybody differently you'll live to regret it."_

_With a laugh they both leave the room to join their parents and siblings at the pool, and then later for dinner._

_**At Dinner:**_

_"…and I was like kiss her I barely know her." George said finishing his story._

_"That's get's funnier every time, George." Nora says through her light laughter._

_All the kids rolled their eyes._

_"And on that note." Casey whispered to Derek, before raising her voice to address everyone else. "Mom, George. Derek and I have something we want to tell you."_

_"Yeah." Derek cleared his throat. "Me and Casey, well we've…"_

_"We've been getting along a lot better recently and umm…" Casey was cut off._

_"And the reason we've been getting along better is because our relationship has changed." Derek continued for Casey._

_"Yeah." Casey agreed with Derek. "We have a different relationship now."_

_"Oh, we noticed Sweetie." Nora glances at her husband then back at them. "In fact we think this is great."_

_"You do?" Derek and Casey asked together. Shock clear on their face._

_"Yes, of course. Don't look so shocked." Nora chuckled._

"_We always hoped you to would come around." George said with a smile._

_"Hoped we'd come around?" Casey said tentatively._

_"Yeah, the way you two were always fighting." Nora shook her head "Well let's just say that more than once we considered hiring a family shrink."_

_"I'm not sure I understand…" Casey trails off._

_"Well Casey you're fighting was getting kind of ridiculous." Nora said giving her a knowing look._

_"Are we even talking about the same thing?" Derek questions looking between the two with a lost expression on his face._

_"Don't be silly you two. George and I have always wanted you two to start acting like siblings." Nora grins._

_Casey chokes on her water. "What?"_

_"Casey are you alright?" Nora reaches over and starts rubbing her back._

_"Dad, Nora. I think you missed something…" Derek starts._

_"No we didn't." George says looking at the two of them._

_"Yes. I think you did. See we said our relationship changed."Casey hinted finally recovering from her coughing fit._

_"Yes," Nora gave them a quizzical look "it changed from enemies to brotherly and sisterly."_

_Before Casey and Derek could correct them two people approached their table._

_"Hi Seth." George says standing to greet a handsome young man that is Casey and Derek's age. "Everyone this is Seth. Seth, this is my wife Nora, and my children Derek, Edwin, Marti, Robby, Casey, and Lizzie." He pointed to each in turn, and they waved back. Derek and Casey cringed when her name was added to the list._

"_He spent last summer interning at my office." George continued. "What a surprise to see you here. It's been a while. What are you doing in Las Vegas anyway?""_

_"It's been to long Mr. Venturi." Seth said giving George's hand a shake. "This is my sister Becca. She goes to university here in Nevada. This is why I'm here._

_Seth looked over at Casey and smiled as he gave her the once over. Derek glared holes into the side of Seth's head. Casey didn't even notice._

_"Oh, then you must know all the hotspot's, right Becca?" Nora asked in that over involved mother tone._

_"A few Mrs. Venturi." Becca replied with a sweet smile._

_"Well maybe you'd like to take my two eldest out and show them the sites." Nora said._

_Becca looked over at Casey, then Derek, and smiled. She had obviously liked what she saw._

_Casey and Derek however had different reactions."Mom!" "Nora!" they exclaimed at the same time._

"_What? I'm sure they don't mind. Do you?" Nora smiled sweetly at Becca and Seth._

"_No." Becca said. "No, we don't mind at all."_

_**A few hours later:**_

"_I think the hotel is that a-way." Casey slurred with a giggle as Derek and her stumbled out of a dance club._

_"Noooo. I'm pretty sure it's that way." Derek garbled pointing in the opposite direction._

_Casey ignored him and kept walking in the direction she had pointed out. Derek jogged (badly) to catch up with her._

_"You know iii think you hurt her feelings." Derek proclaimed to Casey as they walked._

_"Well she shouldn't have been hanging all you. And you broke Seth's jaw."Casey returned._

_"He deserved it."_

_"My mom's a jerk for setting us up like that."_

_"Especially when we were trying to tell them we were dating."_

_Casey pushed her hair out of her face and looked around._

"_We're going the wrong way." Casey says._

"_You said it was this way princess." Derek reminded her._

"_Ughhh! Nooooooo I didn't."_

"_Yessss you did." Derek then looked around._

"_No I…" Casey starts._

"_You know what would shut our parents up for good." Derek interrupts her._

"_What?"_

"_If we got married."_

"_You're not serious?" Casey says standing up straighter and moving away from Derek._

"_I am too." Derek responds. "We love each other. We want to be together, So why not?"_

_Casey looked unsure._

"_You only live once Case. Question is do you wanna live with me?" Derek asked. (A/N: I know it's OoC but he's drunk so neh)_

_They don't really remember anymore of that night, but Casey must have said yes because they woke up the next morning with wedding bands on, a marriage certificate on the dresser, and naked in a hotel room that wasn't the one their parents rented._

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day:<strong>

**The Ceremony:**

Watching Lizzie walk down the aisle had brought tears to Casey's eyes. Liz looked so beautiful dressed in her off the shoulder wedding gown with a bouquet of white roses and blue bell flowers. Casey knew her own wedding had been nothing like this, she was slightly jealous, but mostly happy for her sister.

Casey watched as Lizzie and Mike exchanged vows and couldn't help but glance at Derek. Derek stood on the groom's side in his tux with a small smile on his face. Casey's heart melted. He really did love her sister.

He looked over at Casey and she quickly looked away. Busted. When looking away she sees Derek's wedding date in the crowd and she snapped her attention back to the wedding before she does something stupid.

Liz and Mike said "I do" and began their walk down the aisle, towards the exit, as man and wife. This was definitely the happiest day of Liz's life.

**After the Ceremony:**

Derek's POV:

"Derek?" Came George's voice from behind Derek. "Can I talk to you?"

Derek set down his rum and coke and looked at his dad. "Shoot" he replied.

George looked out at the ceremony from his place next to Derek at the bar, then looked back at Derek.

"I wanted to talk to you about Casey…"

Casey's POV:

"Hi Casey." Simon says sliding in the seat next to her. He's smiling widely. "Did you see me dancing?"

Casey smiles. "I sure did. You're very good."

"I know." Simon replies. He grabs a cup of juice from the table in front of him and takes a sip.

Casey chuckles, he had to be a Venturi.

"Why aren't you dancing?" He asks look at her, and takes another sip while waiting for her to answer.

"Because I don't have a dance partner." Casey lifts her champagne to her lips.

"What about Derek?"

Casey nearly falls out of her chair she starts coughing so hard. People nearby turn to stare for a moment.

"You alright Casey?" Simon asks as he sets down his juice.

"I'm fine." She gives him a weak smile.

Apparently satisfied with that he returns to his prior topic. "Well?"

"Well, what?" she asks busying herself with organizing her utensils in front of her.

"Why don't you dance with Derek?"

"Because… because…" she bites her lip. "Because he has a girl here." Casey finally says lamely.

"Yeah but she's stupid." Casey smiled at Simon's remark "And anyway she had to go because her dress broke."

Casey couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her.

"Now why can't you dance with Derek?" Simon says persistent as always.

"Umm…"Casey struggles to find a good answer.

"Because I haven't asked her." Derek says coming in from out of nowhere.

"Then why don't you ask her?" Simon says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"What do you think I'm doing over hear squirt?"Derek ruffles Simon's hair, and then turns to Casey. "Come on princess, they're playing a song for all of the family to come dance to." He looks at Simon "Marti's waiting for you bro."

"Uhhh but she has cooties." Simon says even as he gets up to go find Marti.

Casey looks up at Derek, but doesn't move to join him. She is so not ready for this. She doesn't even want to be in the same room as him let alone dance with him.

"Hey Space Case, didn't you hear me? Let's go." He says, expecting her to stand.

"I'm good. Thank you." Is her reply.

Derek sighs.

"Look I get it you don't want to talk to me. Frankly, I'm not too keen on talking to you either, but this is a family dance thing and Lizzie asked for it. And the way I hear it is you can't say no to a bride on her wedding day or something like that."

Casey looks at the down at the floor skeptically. "The whole family?"

"Yes the whole family." He says exasperated.

Sure enough when Casey looks out at who is on the dance floor she see's these pairs: Mom and George, Lizzie and Edwin, Marti and Simon, and Mike and his Mom. The only ones missing are her and Derek.

"Fine." She lets out in a huff. "But don't talk to me."

Derek rolls his eyes and walks onto the dance floor with her.

Casey, paranoid as she is, thinks that everyone is staring at her. So as Derek leads her around the dance floor she begins to fidget.

"Will you calm down." Derek whispers to her annoyed.

"I said no talking." She snaps quietly back at him, convinced someone will hear them.

"I don't get why you're so nervous anyway."

"Excuse me?" the look Casey gives him could peel the flesh off bones.

"Down, Cujo. I just mean you're acting like some waiter or someone is going to jump out from behind a flower arrangement and stab you with a butter knife or something. And I don't think anyone here wants to do you in that badly… Well, except me anyway."

Casey growled. But other than that stayed quiet, and worked to physically calm herself.

"Better." Derek stated matter-of-factly.

"Will you stop talking to me? I'm trying to get thru my sister's wedding without any incident, and I won't be able to accomplish that if you keep talking to me."

Derek opened his mouth to respond but was cut off.

"May I cut in?" Edwin asked. "Please say yes Case. 'Cause I'm pretty sure Liz is about to clock me."

Lizzie smacked him, and then laughed. Derek went off to dance with Liz and Casey danced with Ed.

**After the Reception (Back at the Hotel):**

Casey dragged herself from the elevator. The wedding had gone on without a hitch. Lizzie had left with Mike for their honeymoon, Casey had managed not to talk to Derek again, and she had managed to avoid her mother. So all in all it was pretty good. Now all she had to do was make it to her room sleep, pack and execute pleasantries tomorrow morning. Then she was out of here and didn't have to deal with this drama again till Christmas.

But of course life is never that simple.

"Casey." Came a voice from behind her.

Casey squeezed her eyes shut. If this was a dream she wanted to wake up now.

"Casey?" said the voice again.

"Yes," Casey turned around "mom what do you need?"

Nora had this determined look on her face.

"I wanted to talk to you about Derek." Nora said with a serious expression.

Casey groaned audibly. She couldn't do this. She knew dancing with Derek was a bad idea. Why did she do it? Oh, yeah, because her sister asked her. Never again.

"Mom can we not? I'm tired. And nothing's even going. So can you save your sermon for…" Casey started.

"I'm sorry." Nora interrupted her.

Of all the things Nora could of said this shocked Casey the most.

"You're what?" Casey said carefully. She wasn't sure she heard right.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't… I… I don't understand. What do you mean you're sorry?" Casey couldn't wrap her head around those two words.

"When you and Derek told us, George and I, about the two of you I was hurt."

"Mom…" Casey tried to interrupt her.

"No. Let me say this." Nora paused Casey nodded her agreement.

"When you and Derek told us you were together I was hurt." Nora started again. "I was angry and frustrated and worried and so many other emotions. I mean you had spent over a year lying to me. That alone was upsetting, and on top of that you were attracted to someone I had always intended to be your brother, it was just too much."

"But I never saw him that way." Casey interjected.

"I know. I know that, but that is the way I imagined you two being. What really shocked me was how worried I was about what others would think. I don't usually care about stuff like that but in this particular situation its all I could think about. But still you're my daughter and I shouldn't have done that. Now I'm not saying that I agree with your relationship, but I am saying I reacted badly and that I didn't give it a chance. And I know it will take more than one conversation to fix the bond between us, but I'm willing to try." Nora took a breath.

"That said," Nora continued "I can't honestly say that I'll ever be ok with the two of you together, but I know I can't stand for the two of you to be like this anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Casey asked eyes full of unshed tears (this dang hallway must be cursed or something).

"I didn't think you guys really had strong feelings for each other." Nora held up a hand when Casey went to interrupt. "I know you told me it was love, but I wasn't ready to accept that then, but now I think I am."

"Well it's kind of late now mom." Casey said somewhat bitterly. "Derek and I aren't together anymore. We're getting divorced, just like you wanted. Just because you changed your mind doesn't mean that Derek all of a sudden fell back in love with me." Casey wiped the tears, that had spilled over, from her face.

"What do you mean Casey?" Nora asked.

"Derek. He doesn't love me." Casey took a steadying breath. "And apparently never did."

Nora looked at Casey trying to decide if she honestly believed what she said. When it seemed like she really believed that, Nora Said:

"Sweetie, Derek is still in love with you."

"No he's not." Casey said, now unable to stop her tears.

"Oh, Casey." Nora reached out her hand to touch Casey's shoulder (still kind of an awkward gesture). "Of course he still loves you."

"Mom he and I barely talk. And when we do talk, it's to yell at each other."

"Isn't that how you started anyway?" Nora says trying to look in Casey's eyes.

"It's different."

"No, it really isn't. Casey, maybe it's just because you didn't see what I seen today, but…"

"But what, mom?"

"The way he loves you is obvious in the way he looks at you when he thinks no one sees him."

"The way he looks at me? How does he look at me?" Casey begins wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Like a man in love. It's the way George looks at me. It's a Venturi thing." Nora smiles weakly. "Casey if there is one thing you are going to believe today let it be this: Derek is in love with you." Nora grabbed Casey's face between her hands as she says this.

"Then why is he so awful to me? And don't say that's how it was before. Because he was never this bad before."

"He never had to work so hard to convince you he didn't care before."

Casey was quiet for a minute.

"Where's Derek?" She finally asked.

Nora smiled.

**Outside Derek's Hotel Room:**

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

That was turning into way more than a mantra.

She raised her hand and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" was the way Derek answered the door.

"We need to talk." Casey said as she pushed her way into the room.

"Uh, no we don't." He said trying to steer her out.

"Yes we do." Casey managed to maneuver out of his grasp and further into the room.

Derek let out a frustrated noise, but followed her back into the hotel room.

"What. Do. You. Want." He carefully enunciated each word thru gritted teeth.

"I want to talk."

"About?" he prompted.

"Hey Der, who is it?" Cue blonde bimbette.

"Perfect." Casey and Derek mumbled at the same time.

"Ugh, what's she doing here?" Barbie asked.

Without giving Derek a chance to answer Casey walks over to Barbie grabs her by the arm and starts dragging her towards the door.

"Look I'm sure a nice girl, but this kind of private. So I'm going to ask you leave."

"Casey!" Derek starts at the same time as Barbie says:

"Derek are you going to let her do this?"

"He doesn't have choice, Barbie." Casey opens the door. "Now I need to talk to my husband and you need to take a hike." Casey pushes her out the door. "Buh-bye now." She gives the bimbette a superficial wave then slams the door in Barbie's face.

Barbie starts banging on the door and telling them to let her in. Derek looks at Casey with anger written across his face.

"What the hell, Case?" Derek makes a move towards the door.

Casey gets in his way.

"Move." Derek growls.

"Not till we talk." Casey says calmly.

Derek tries to make a move around her so she goes for the jugular.

"I'm still in love with you." Mission accomplished Casey's words freeze Derek to the spot.

Derek looks at her and says. "I don't care."

"Yes you do."

"No I really don't"

"Yes you really do." Casey puts her hand on Derek's mouth. "Don't argue with me."

Derek glares at her and raises his hand to remove hers.

"Look if you don't care, the whatever, fine. But please let me say this. When I'm done with my little speech, that will take less than five minutes of your time, I promise to leave you alone and never bring this up again." Casey removes her own hand and waits.

Derek still giving her a stern look crosses his arms and nods, waiting for her to speak.

"I love you." Casey takes a breath. "I will probably always love you. I love the way we fight. I love when you kiss me. I even love everything about you that annoys me."

Casey looks down to collect herself. Once she's steeled her nerves she looks him straight in the eye.

"If you can honestly say that you feel nothing for me than I'll try to accept that, but I think that you love me too, and just as much as I love you. Now I know that you're allergic to all this mushy stuff so I'm going to try and wrap this up." Casey takes a breath "I want to be with you. For the rest of my life. I don't care if my mom never fully comes around, I don't care what people say, and I really don't care what Ms. Flavor-of-the-Week out there has to say."

Casey takes a step closer to Derek.

"So even though you are a self serving jerk, and insufferable, and even though I'm impossible and a princess, and even though we hate each other, I still love you." Casey smiles up uneasily at Derek.

Derek looks at her and breaths in and out evenly. "Are you done now?"

And just like that Casey feels her heart break into a million pieces. Her weak smile falls off her face and she starts to feel short of breath.

"Yeah," Casey says as her eyes glaze over "I'm done now." With that she turns on her heel to leave.

Derek reaches out and grabs her arm. "Where do you think you're going?" He says with a mildly angry look on his face.

"I'm leaving." She answers as she tries to fight back tears. "You said you wanted me to go."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"Before we start this again, Casey, tell me when? When did I ask you to leave?"

"Just now you said you wanted me to leave."

"No, Case, I asked if you were done."

"What's the difference?" Casey asked with a shrug. Her eyes were seconds away from letting out a flood of tears (it wasn't just the hallway apparently, it was the whole hotel, she was never coming back here again).

"The difference is that now I have something to say." Derek gives her a condescending look.

Of course Derek had to have the last word.

"What do you want to say Derek?" Casey sighed.

"Well it's not so much say as it is do." With that Derek walked to the hotel room door.

He opened the door, looked Barbie dead in the eye and said:

"Yeah, this isn't working out. It's not me it's you. Or however that's supposed to go. So could you leave and stop barking at this door like a mad woman." Derek then slammed the door in bimbette's face.

(Start of Revised Section)

Casey looked at Derek confused. He didn't want her, but he just dumped Barbie?

"Casey." Derek took a deep breath. "I am so sorry."

Derek smirked sadly at the look on Casey's face. She seemed astonished.

"Seriously Space Case, aren't you supposed to be smarter than this?" he asked her."You didn't do anything wrong."

"But I thought…" Casey paused "I know I didn't do anything wrong." she huffed indigently. "That wasn't about me doing something wrong. That was about me professing my feelings and telling you I don't care that you screwed up."

"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you Case." Derek said raising his arms in defense. "I'm just trying to apologize."

"Apologize for what Derek?"

"For everything." He ran a hand thru his hair. "You're really gonna make me say it aren't you. I'm sorry for thinking I know better than you. I'm sorry for being such a colossal jerk to you. I'm sorry for making you cry. I'm sorry for everything, but most of all I'm sorry for almost cheating on you."

"Almost cheating?"

"You remember that red head from the night we broke up."

Casey glowered "How could I forget. She was nothing but breasts and legs."

"I brought her to the house and took her to our bed room…"

"I'm a big girl Derek I don't need you to paint me a picture." Casey says cringing at the memory.

"Yes you do Case." He held up a hand. "Before you argue with me please just hear me out. It will take less then five minutes of your time.

Casey crossed her arms over her chest, more for protection than anger and nodded her consent.

"I had just gotten to the apartment five minutes before you. I had been going crazy trying to figure out a way to end things between us. A way that would, hopefully, help you move on faster. I thought if I could make you think that I was cheating on you and that I didn't care that you would think I wasn't worth your time and so you would be over me." Derek took another breath, this mushy girly stuff plus apologizing was taking a toll on him.

"Well like I said the red head and I had just gotten back to the apartment, and then I heard you at the door. I staged the whole scenario as quickly as I could. The redhead just thought I was over eager, so she didn't really care that I was moving so fast. Then it just became about acting. Man that was hard the second I seen your face I wanted to explain everything and just hope that you could find it in your heart to forgive me." Derek rolled his eyes at the cheese.

"Derek…" Casey attempted to interrupt him.

"Wait. Just let me finished." Casey got quiet again when he said this. "When I was done yelling at you and I left I went to Sam's house."

"What?"

"Yeah lame I know. But even guys sometimes need a friend, and it's not like I actually told him the whole truth, so don't go yelling at him when this is all over. But I couldn't stay in the apartment, I couldn't face you, besides it helped my plan if you thought I was sleeping with the red head."

"So you didn't sleep with her."

"No."

"And the blonde you just dumped?"

"No. I haven't slept with anyone since the last time I was with you." Derek looked at anything in the room that wasn't Casey.

"What about every girl I've seen you with since then?" Casey's eyebrows were knit together in confusion.

"Just props to help you believe I was scum." Now he looked her in the eye. "Do you accept my apology. Because if you don't I am very willing to spend everyday of the rest of my life apologizing until you do."

"Wow, and we know how much you hate saying sorry." Casey mumbled still dazed by his confession.

"Is that a yes?" He asked with something like hope in his eyes.

"Yes." She said slowly.

With that he finally walked over to her and kissed her.

(End of Revised Section, again apologies)

Casey's train of thought went something like this: surprise, what's going on, denial, this isn't really happening, confusion, why is this happening, and joy, who freaking cares just kiss him back already.

She smiled wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

"Casey," Derek said breaking the kiss.

"Hmmm." She replied

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>So do you like it? Do you hate it? Did you want a different ending? Did the ending you got freak you out for a minute there? Please read and review. And a big thank you to all my readers, you guys rock.


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